After filing an application, the ordinance requires completion of an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach online course.

The 21-minute, audio-slide presentation is designed to separate dedicated chicken enthusiasts from wannabes. It includes advice on breeds, their care and feeding, as well as the color of eggs desired. It also details costs—coop, feed, bedding, heat lamps and more.

A short survey follows for certification.

A petition drive previously sought a backyard chicken ordinance in Waukee in 2013, but “kind of died on the vine,” said Brad Deets, Waukee Development Services Director.

A letter to the council then seeking support stated, “Owners of hens prize them as any other pet. Some for their personality, others for their heritage and others for their colors and patterns. Hens, unlike roosters, are friendly, entertaining and quiet… Hens are also part of some citizens’ wish to live a ‘greener’ lifestyle. They readily eat table scraps (keeping them from ending up in landfills), are a natural insect control of lawns, and also provide eggs for the family they live with.”

The latest request began 18 months ago, according to then-councilmember Courtney Clarke. She received 16 emails supporting “urban poultry,” but was “completely against it” at first.

“The more I listened to the people who spoke with us, I realized that a kneejerk reaction was not what was needed,” she said. “We found that a lot more people already had chickens here than we knew, although it was technically not allowed.”

The council asked city staff to devise an ordinance emphasizing responsible ownership—what Clarke called “neighborship.”

A complaint last summer created an enforcement issue, moving matters along. The city generally issues a warning, but an ordinance violation carries a potential fine of up to $750 per day, depending on the discretion of a district court judge.

Meanwhile, Des Moines allows up to 30 birds (on less than an acre), Cedar Rapids, six, and Sioux City, 50. Some nearby cities simply decree “chickens may not run at large.”

Deets said Waukee’s ordinance relied on model ordinances, but its “unique aspect” is the ISU extension course narrated by Christa Hartsook, its small farms coordinator.

“Sometimes people want to get into it and don’t realize all the upkeep it takes,” said Deets..

Hartsook provides plenty to think about.

Chickens can be good pets for children while providing lessons in recycling. Leaves, weeds, food scraps and manure in a bin with bedding can become compost in a small garden.